Boiler-feed regulator.



Patented Aug. I3, I90l.

No.l 680,347.

A. G. MGPHERSON.

BUILER FEED REGULATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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g UNITED STATES Trios.

PATENT ARTHUR G. MCPHERSON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR OFONE-HALE TO GEORGE B. FOSTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOILER-FEED REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,347, dated August13, 1901. Application filed October 18, 1900. Serial No. 33,511. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR G. MCPHEE- sON, of the city of Highland Park,county of Lake, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Boiler-Feed Regulators, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to means for regulating the feed or supply ofliquid to a boiler or like reservoir, whereby a desired water-level maybe maintained therein. Hitherto it has been the practice to employfloat-valves in steam-boilers for the purpose of regulating the ilow ofWater thereto and cutting ed said iiow at a desired height; butdifficulty has always been experienced in the use of such floatmechanisms, the same frequently failing to act when they should, Withthe result that the supply of Water is either shut O, so that the boileris permitted to go dry or, on the other hand, it is not properlyregulated, so that the boiler is completely filled with water, owing tothe continued operation of the steam pump or injector which suchmechanism is supposed to regulate.

One object of my invention is to provide a feed-regulator that isdependent -upon and is controlled solely by the vapor and the liquid inor from the boiler or reservoir and which will be of an extremely-simpleconstruction and reliable in operation.

A further object of my invention is to generally cheapen and simplifythe Whole mechanism that is employed for supplying or feeding Water orliquid to boilers or reservoirs, so constructing and arranging saidmechanism that it will be practically impossible for the same to get outof order or fail to respond to all the requirements of such mechanisms.

My invention consists generally in the combination of a boiler orreservoir, preferably one wherein a pressure or vapor is normallymaintained, with a pump-injector or like device for feeding or supplyingliquid to said boiler and means provided in connection with said pumpwhereby the operation thereof is controlled, retarded, or stopped by theiiow of liquid from or at the approximate normal water-level in saidboiler; and my invention further consists in various constructions andin combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanyin g drawings, forming a part of the specification, in Which--Figure l is a sectional view of an automatic steam-pump andpump-regulator embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are like sectionalviews of the regulaton alone.

My invention consists, primarily, in any feed-regulator that is operatedby or is dependent upon a flow of liquid at or from a normalliquid-level of the reservoir or boiler; and further, my inventionconsists in any regulating means by which the flow of liquid to theboiler is impeded or decreased in volume from the moment the liquid inthe boiler reaches a predetermined level and which regulating means arefurther capable of entirely shutting off the supply to the boiler whenthe liquid therein has risen to the highest permissible level and beforethe boiler is completely filled.

From the foregoing statements it will be realized that the scope of myinvention is broad and that the same includes any mechanism whereinliquid taken from the waterlevel height in the boiler operates throughits mere presence in the path of a moving steamvalve to retard or brakethe action or rapidity of movement of said valve, thus cutting down thespeed of the pump or the supply mechanism that is controlled by saidvalve. Further, my invention will be understood to include Within-itsscope any form of movable valve that is interposed in a steam-supplypipe of the supply-pump or other device and which valve normally admitsof the passage of sufficient steam to operate said pump at a speedadequate to the maintenance of a desired Water-level in the boiler, butwhich valve is adapted 'for actuation by pressure of liquid from theWater-level in the boiler or by the clogging of Water therein to cut offthe liow of steam to the pump, and my invention also embraces within itsscope any Valve mechanism that is actuated to control the pump or othersupply means by a mere liquid-pressure.

Perhaps the greatest difficulty encountered in the feeding of boilers ofvarious types has IOO been met with in connection with steam-motorvehicles or automobiles wherein the feedpumps operate only during theoperation of the propelling-engines, while the burners or other heatingmeans employed for the generation of steam are often left or permittedto run at full temperature while the vehicles are at a standstill. Manyautomobile boilers have been burned as a result of such carelessness orneglect, and, on the other hand, many automobiles have been brought to astandstill after running for a considerable ti me under a light load,during which time the. supply of water is disproportionate to thevolurne of steam used, in which case there is always danger that aboiler will be completely filled with water. A particular object,therefore, of my invention is to provide for the accurate and reliablefeeding of automobile boilers, and the difticulties pointed out in theforegoing are overcome by the employment of a pump and regulatingmechanism like unto that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings. Insaid figures I have shown an automatic steam-pump that is supplied Withsteam from the boiler and operates continuously so long as its operationis not impeded by the automatic brake or regulator. The pump comprisesthe steam cylinder 2 and the water-cylinder 3, which are arranged atopposite ends of the frame-section 4. In each cylinder is a pistou 5 6,respectively, which pistons are connected by the piston-rod 7. Thepistons are cup-shaped, and the framesection has the long sleeves orbosses 8 and 9 extending into the cylinders 2 and 3', re-

spectively. These sleeves and the solid portion of the frame are boredto fit the pistonrod 7 and furnish so long a bearing thatI am able toWholly dispense with stuffingboxes or glands about the piston-rod. Thecylinders may be turned into any desired position upon the frame. Toobviate the necessity of exact alinement between the cylinders 2 and 3,I prefer to provide the heads 10 11 upon the ends of the piston-rod 7,said heads being smaller than the cavities within the pistons and beingheld bythe retaining ringsor shoulders l2 13 in said pistons, the

larger than the piston-rod, whereby said pistons are permitted aconsiderable variance from concentricity With the axis of thepiston-rod. 14 14 are the water-supply pipes, provided with suitablevalves that commun-icate with opposite ends of the Water-cylinder 3. Thewater is discharged from said cylinder 3 through valves 15 and into thecavity 16, from whence the water is forced through the feed-pipe 17,leading into` the boiler 18. The steam-cylinder is provided with theusual pair of steam-ports 19 and the exhaust-port 20, and saidsteam-cylinder is provided with a steam-chest, comprising the valvecasing or cylinder 21 and the steam-cavity 22. In the cylinder 21 Iprovide a piston-valve 23, which with the plungers 24 on the endstherecapacity than its steam-cylinder.

` normal operation thereof.

esos/ifi of is of less length than the valve casing or cylinder 21.Ports 25 lead from. the cavity 22 into the casing 2l to be alternatelyopened and closed by the valve 23, whereby steam is let into the ports19 alternately to operate the steam-piston 5. As said steam-piston 5approaches the end of its stroke in each di- I rect-ion it opens thesmall ports 27, from which ducts (see dotted lines) extend to oppositeends of the valvecasing 21, whereby the valve 23 is made to alternatewith the piston 5 in its action. 28 is the steam-pipe which leadsl fromvthe top of the boiler to the cavity 22 to supply steam to the pump. Thissteampipe preferably drops away from the point of its connection withthe boiler, which connection is locatedat the highest permissible levelfor water in said Vbo'iler--that is, there will always be a volume ofsteam in the boiler, for the reason that as soon as the Water reachesthe level of the steam-pipe it will flow downward through said pipe andinto the steam=cylinder of the pump, with the result that while saidpump may continue to operate very slowly under water-pressure more Waterwill be drawn out from the boiler than can be supplied thereto throughthe movement of the steam-pump, for the reason that the water-cylinderof the pump is of less I observe this precaution against complete llingof the boiler as the only Way in which to overcome such difficulty whenany continuously-acting pump is employed. 'It is evident that the pumpshown and described will be continuous in operation solong as pressureis maintained in the boiler, and while the means above described willprevent the filling of the boiler, even when steam is not being takenfrom the boiler-as, for instance, when an automobile is left standing`for several hours with its burners in operation--it is necessary toprovide some means. by which the Water- `level in the boiler may be keptdown to the normal level at all times during the usual or I accomplishthis by regulating the speed of the pump and Without using a iioatorlike mechanism in i i the boiler. openings 1n said rings beingconsiderably I- prefer that my regulator shall take the form shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 3,the same comprising a brake or retarding device uponand for the steam-valve of the automatic pump. This regulator or brakeconsists in the piston V30, connected to the valve 23 by a small rod 3landarranged'in the small brake-cylinder 32.

33 is a port-cav-ity wherefrom ports 34: lead into yopposite ends of thecylinder 32. From said cavity 33 a pipe or connection 35 extends toy andinto the boiler at approximately the normal Water-level therein. It isevident that at any time during the use of the boi-1er and as soon asthe supply of water so far exceeds the evaporation thereof the waterrises to or above the pipe 35. Said pipe and the cylinder 32,v which haspreviously been IOO IIO

filled with steam, will be occupied by water and will be kept full ofwater so long as the water remains above the pipe 35. It is likewiseevident that in order that the valve 23 may reciprocate it must displaceeither the steam or water which occupies the cylinder 32, and when saidcylinder is filled with water, which is more difficult of displacementthan steam, the reciprocatory speed of said valve 23 will be materiallycut down, with the result that the pump will be caused to operate veryslowly, the water operating as an eective braking or blocking agent.After water iiows from the water-level of the boiler into thebrake-cylinder the pump will continue to operate slowly until the boilerevaporation exceeds the supply of water from the pump, whereupon thewater-level will fall, and when the water does fall below the pipe 35,and whether the cavity 33 is arranged above or, as I prefer, upon theside or bottom of the cylinder 32, the water in said cylinder 32 will beforced or will drain back into the boiler and steam will take the placeof the water, whereupon the pump-valve being relieved of resistance toits action will again operate at its maximum speed and the pump willsupply the necessary quantity of water to the boiler. In this manner Iam able to secure perfect regulation of the automatic steam-pump withoutusing any valve-fioats or like mechanisms which are likely to get out oforder and cause annoyance or danger.

The invention may be embodied in still otherforms, devices, and systems,and I therefore do not confine my invention to the specific constructionherein shown and d escribed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. The combination with a reservoir or boiler, ofliquid-supply apparatus connected therewith and having the usual valvemeans operatively interposed between said reservoir and the valve ofsaid apparatus for regnlating the operation of said valve and hence theoperation of said apparatus, and said means being connected with saidreservoir at approximately the normal water-level therein, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination of a reservoir or boiler, wherein a vapor-pressure isnormally maintained with liquid-supply apparatus connected with saidreservoir and normally actuated by the pressure from said reservoir, thesteam-valve of said apparatus, and means operatively interposed betweensaid reservoir and the steam-valve of said apparatus, permitting theiiow of liquid from approximately the normal Water-level of saidreservoir and controlling the movement and operation of said valve andsaid apparatus to cut down the supply of liquid to said reservoir,substantially as described.

3. The combination of a reservoir or boiler, wherein a vapor-pressure isnormally maintained with liquid-supply apparatus connected with saidreservoir and normally actuated by the pressure from said reservoir,said reservoir having the usual steam-valve and means operativelyinterposed between said reservoir and the steam-valve of said apparatus,permitting the ilow of liquid from approximately the normal water-levelof said reservoir and thereby controlling the movement and position ofsaid valve to cut down the supply of liquid to said reservoir, duringand so long as liquid continues to flow from said reservoir at a pointapproximately the normal water-level therein, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination of a boiler or reservoir, with liquid-supplyapparatus therefor having a valve and a valve-brake apparatus comprisinga cylinder and a displacement-piston and a connection between saidcylinder and said reservoir, at approximately the normal water-level insaid reservoir, whereby liquid entering said cylinder controls themovement of said valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a boiler, of a steam-pump driven therefrom, forsupplying Water thereto, said pump provided with a suitablereciprocating steam -valve and a brake device or regulator provided inconnection with said valve, comprising a cylinder that is connected withsaid boiler at normal water-level therein, and a displacement-piston insaid cylinder attached to said valve, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the liquid-reservoir, with valved liquid-supplymeans capable of supplying liquid to said reservoir in excess of thenormal requirement, and a regulator for the valve of said supply means,comprisinga plunger operated upon by liquid when and only after theliquid-level in said reservoir has risen above the normal level andcontrolling the operation of said valve, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a liquid-reservoir, such as a boiler Withautomatic liquid-supply means, the automatic steam-valve thereof, and aregulator for said valve, comprising a mechanism for blocking orchecking the operation thereof, and operated by the dow of the excessliquid in said reservoir, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a boiler, of an automatic steam-pump comprisinga frame, the cylinders at opposite ends thereof, sleeves upon saidframe, pistons in said cylinders, the piston rod for said pistonsextending through said frame and sleeves, the valves for said pump,steam and water connections therefor and a regulator governed by theflow of water from the normal water-level in said boiler and havingits-moving part connected with the steam-valve of said pump,substantially as described.

9. The combination with a boiler, of the automatic valved steam-pump,the steam connection for said pump extending from said boiler at a pointnear the top thereof and IOO IIO

IZO

adapted to be illed with Water when the Wa- In testimony whereof I havehereunto at'- ter rises to the highest permissible level in fixed myname this 13th day of October, 1900. the boiler, and a pump-valveregulator com- ARTHUR G MOPHERSON prising a plunger operated upon by theflow 5 of Water from thenormel Water-level of said In presence ofboiler,to cheek the operation of said pump- C. Gr. HAWLEY, valve, substantiallyas described. T. D. BUTLER.

